Platform shoe



Sept. 23, w47. R. MAUNG 2,427,798

PLATFORM SHOE Original Filed Dec. 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 23, 1947. R, MALlNG l 2,427,798

PLATFORM SHOE Original Filed Deo. 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 23, 1947 PLATFORM SHOE Roy Maling, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Original application December 9, V1944, VSerial No.

567,361. Divided and this application December 12, 1946, Serial No. 715,825

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in footwear and more especially to shoes and slippers havingA a platform base element 'and an upper with a lining which is pre-stitched to a sock lining or insole element and which is slip-lasted as distinguished from procedures wherein the stitching of a sock lining to the upper or to the upper lining is accomplished while the upper and lining are on a last. My present application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 567,361, led December 9, 1944. The present invention provides an improved product in which all or desired portions of an upper lining may be pre-stitched to a Sock lining for slip-lasting of the lining, and in which an upper is shaped over the slip-lasted lining by drawing together and securing together the lower edge portions of the upper and the upper edge portions of a flexible platform-cradling sheet, with the platform clamped between the cradling sheet and the sock lining, and with the secured-together edges of the upper and cradling sheet elevated substantially above the plane of the bottom surface of the platform.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a shoe or slipper structure having a platform base and having an upper secured to the platform base in a manner which provides a moccasin effect in a shoe or slipper which may have interior arch-supporting characteristics.

Another object is to provide a shoe or slipper structure having an upper and a slip-lasted upper lining, and having a platform base unit cradled in a flexible sheet, with means securing the upper and the cradling sheet together with the upper drawn over and shaped to the contour of the slip-lasted upper lining, and with the cradling sheet drawn around the platform base unit and holding the unit against the sock lining.

Still another object is to provide a shoe or slipper structure having a slip-lasted upper lining and having an upper drawn over and conformed to the shape of the slip-lasted upper lining, the upper having a welt strip at its lower margin, and there being a platform-enclosing flexible sheet extending over the under surface of the platform and upward over the side edges of the platform, with its upper margin secured to said welt strip on the upper all around the extent of the upper.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure of shoes and slippers and more especially shoes and slippers of the general type having a platform base.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is -a side elevation of a shoe embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the upper structure of the shoe of Fig. 1, showing lthe upper lining stitched to the sock lining all around the shoe and showing the lower edge of the upper free from attachment to the pre-stitched lining and sock lining all around the shoe;

Fig. 3 is a medial longitudinal cross-*sectional view vthrough the shoe of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on line MI`lI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is 'a side elevation `of 'an open-toe modled construction embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 61s a bottom plan view of the upper structure of the shoe'of Fig. 5, showing the attaching strip, at the open-toe region, stitched to the sock lining;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view through the forepart `of the shoe of Fig. 5; and

Fi'g. 8 'is a cross-sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the shoe of Figs. 1-5 comprises an upper 'I 0 which may be of any suitable shoe upper material so Vlong as it is continuous at its lower edge lall around the shoe. An upper lining I2 faces the upper throughout its interior area, being stitched to the upper only around the top edge of the shoe Where the stitched edges areshown bound, yas at I4, or they may be otherwise treated `to `provide .a finished edge around the foot opening of the shoe. The lower edges of the lining, all around the shoe, are Stitched as at I6 to the edges of a full length sock lining I8 while the lining and upper are free 'of a last, leaving the lower edges of the upper free as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This provides a complete 'sock within the loose upper I0 into which sock a last may be inserted preparatory to a lasting of the upper I0.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-5, Vtheupper I il is lasted all around the shoe and is secured to a base structure all around the shoe in a manner which can leave the slip-lasted inner sock I2, Is vfree from'direc't attachment to the base structure. However, prior to lasting of the upper I0, a counter 2D may be inserted between the lining and upper at the rear part of the shoe, to be held in place by a platform and heel unit preformed of matted bre or any other suitable material. As represented in Fig. 3, a full length matted bre platform element 22 has a heel lift 24 secured at its under side, and the platform 22 engages the usual counter flange 2l to hold the counter in place. A shank stiifener 26 may be associated with the counter so as to underlie the sock lining I8.

The platform and heel unit 22, 24 may be loosely enclosed within a flexible covering element which may provide or have secured to it, a tread portion 28 extending over the full area of the bottom of the platform and heel unit, and having edge extensions 29 turned up over the edges of the platform and heel unit all around the shoe and secured by stitching, or preferably by lacing, as shown at 30, to the lower edge of the upper I all around the shoe, As a result, the platform and heel unit needs to have no direct attachment to either its enclosing flexible covering element or to the upper or to the interior sock, yet it is securely retained in operative position by being bound in by the laced or stitched securement of the covering element to the upper. This provides an extremely flexible shoe in which parts can adjust themselves relatively during flexing, which ensures a superior degree of comfort for the wearer.

If desired, a mere daub of cement between the sock lining and platform, at the toe region, will maintain the inner sock against pulling out when a foot is withdrawn from the shoe. A similar daub of cement may be applied between the same elements in the heel region, and between the platform and the tread sheet, at the forepart and rear part, if desired, to promote stability and to aid in assembly of parts for the lasting operation.

The platform and heel unit covering element as shown in Figs. 1-4 comprises a leather 'split soft-sole tread portion 28 surfacing the full under area of the unit, to whose edges are secured the turned up extension portions 29 which may be of leather or fabric or any other suitable flexible material.

If the upper I0 is of fabric, or if the upper when made of leather or any other material may not be adequately stro-ng for direct seculement to the paltform and heel unit covering element 28, 29, a strip 32 of leather, herein termed a welt, may be, and preferably is, secured to the upper all around its lower edge for constituting an attaching strip or welt to which the base sheet element 28, 29 may be stitched or preferably laced as shown. securement, the welt 32 may have holes preliminarily punched therein as indicated at 34 in Fig. 4 to facilitate the lacing, the cover element extensions 29 having similar punched holes 36 all along their edges.

In the modification shown in Figs. -8, the upper 38 has an open-toe at 40 and has the pre-stitched lining 42 and sock lining 44 as in the previously described case, with the upper nowhere directly stitched to the sock lining 44. A welt 46 is stitched exteriorly to the .lower edge of the upper all around its extent as in the first described structure. However, with the open-toe structure, the welt 46 cannot be stitched to the upper across the toe opening where there is no upper, so it is stitched to the sock lining 44 at the toe opening for securing the inner pre-stitched In the case of the illustrated laced l sock to the base structure when that structure is stitched or laced as at 48 to the welt 46.

In Figs. 5-8, the open-toe upper is secured to a base structure having a flat tread surface from front to rear of the shoe. The base structure comprises a platform and heel unit enclosed Within a flexible covering sheet which may be an integral sheet of oiled leather comparable to what is employed for moccasins. It faces the full under area of the platform and heel unit, as at 50', and is turned up over the edges of the unit, as at 52, to be stitched or laced at 48 to the welt strip 46. Suitable cut-outs are made in the turned up portions 52, and the edges at the cutouts are brought together and stitched, as at 54, to attain a smooth and tight t of the cover around the platform and heel unit.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article of footwear comprising an upper, lining and sock liningof which the lining is stitched to the sock lining all around the article and the upper is free from direct attachment to the sock lining throughout at least a substantial portion of its extent around the article, a platform and heel unit, flexible means covering the bottom of said unit and having extent over the sides of said unit all around the article and free from extent inward over the top surface of said unit throughout the extent of that portion of the upper which is free from direct attachment to the sock lining, and means securing together the lower edge region of the upper and the upper edge region of said flexible means throughout the extent of that portion of the upper which is free from direct attachment to the sock lining.

2. An article of footwear comprising an upper, lining and a sock lining of which the lining is stitched to the edge of the sock lining all around the article and the upper is free from direct attachment to the sock lining throughout the extent of the upper, a welt stitched exteriorly to the edge of the upper throughout the extent of the upper, a platform and heel unit, and flexible means covering the bottom and sides of said -unit throughout the extent of the unit, and secured to said welt on the upper all around the article.

3. An article of footwear comprising an upper, lining and sock lining of which the lining is stitched to the sock lining all around the article and the upper is free from direct attachment to the sock lining throughout at least a substantial portion of its extent around the article, a welt stitched exteriorly to the edge of the upper throughout the extent of its said portion which is free from direct attachment to the sock lining,

a platform and heel unit, flexible means covering the bottom of said unit and having extent over the sides of said unit all around the article and free from extent inward over the top surface of said unit throughout the extent of said welt on the upper7 and means securing together the free edge portion of the upper and the upper edge portion of said flexible means throughout the extent of that portion of the upper which is free from direct attachment to the sock lining,

ROY MALING. 

